Sex-selective abortion doc could be struck off

The General Medical Council has referred Dr Palaniappan Rajmohan to a separate disciplinary panel [picture for illustrative purposes only].

A doctor who was filmed offering an abortion on the grounds of the baby’s sex is to face a public hearing and could be struck off the medical register.

In 2012, a Daily Telegraph investigation revealed that two doctors had approved sex-selective abortions, but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) failed to bring charges against them.

The General Medical Council (GMC) did launch its own inquiries, and banned the doctors from authorising or carrying out abortions while the investigations were being carried out.

Infanticide

The GMC is convening a disciplinary panel to rule on Dr Palaniappan Rajmohan’s case, and could impose sanctions including having his work restricted or no longer being allowed to practise.

During The Daily Telegraph’s investigation, he was recorded telling a pregnant woman who asked for an abortion because the baby was a girl that to do so would not be fair, and likened it to “female infanticide”.

But he then said he would put “too young for pregnancy” as the reason for the abortion.

Blocked

The GMC decided to drop its investigation into the other doctor, Prabha Sivaraman, who was recorded telling a patient: “I don’t ask questions. If you want a termination, you want a termination.”

A spokesman for the GMC declined to comment on the reason why Dr Sivaraman’s case had been closed.

Last month, the CPS blocked attempts by a pro-life campaigner to bring a private prosecution against the doctors.

Public interest

The CPS said that it would not be in the “public interest” to pursue the case, but did admit that there is “sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction”.

In February, MPs rejected the opportunity to make sex-selective abortion explicitly illegal as they defeated an amendment from Fiona Bruce.

Powerful accounts of the abuse some women face were raised, as well as concerns that objections to the amendment were “flatly untrue” and “offensive”.

Insult

However MPs voted to reject Mrs Bruce’s bid by 292 to 201 according to Hansard. The Government held a free vote. Fiona Bruce said Labour whipped against the amendment.

Rani Bilkhu, a long-time campaigner on the issue, commented: “This is an insult to the women we work with who have suffered under the burden of sex-selective abortion and have said they want clarity in the law”.

She added: “To think that a few Westminster bubble MPs could scupper such an important vote mocks the very fabric of British democracy. It is a disgrace.”